The streets of Beijing and other major Chinese cities were quiet and empty after millions of people left to visit relatives or travel abroad during the year’s biggest family holiday.
Families gathered at home for multigenerational banquets. Companies, shops and government offices closed for official holidays that ranged from two days in South Korea to a week in China.
—
HONG KONG, CHINA – FEBRUARY 04: People burn incense sticks as they pray for good luck at the Wong Tai Sin Temple on February 4, 2019 in Hong Kong, China. The Lunar New Year, the Year of the Pig, falls on February 5 this year. .
Mai Shangmin/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images
Worshippers stood in line for hours at Hong Kong’s Wong Tai Sin Temple to welcome the new year by lighting incense.
Story continues below advertisement
Lana Wong, a prominent Hong Kong actress, wore a pig costume for the event.
“My first wish is for world peace,” said Wong, 88. “Everyone has food to eat, employment and houses to live in. The elderly also hope the government will take better care of them.”
Hong Kong actress Lana Wong (C) is dressed in Pig costume as she gathers with worshippers at the Wong Tai Sin Temple to welcome in the Lunar New Year of the Pig in Hong Kong late on February 4, 2019. Worshippers flocked to temples to pray for good luck and fortune for the new year. (Photo by Philip FONG / AFP) (Photo credit should read PHILIP FONG/AFP/Getty Images).
PHILIP FONG/AFP/Getty Images
WATCH: Hong Kong village marks Year of the Pig with ‘Poon Choi’ feast
—
Story continues below advertisement
Beijing
Performers rehearse a re-enactment of an ancient Qing Dynasty ceremony at Ditan Park (the Temple of Earth) on February 4, 2019 in Beijing, China. The Lunar New Year, the Year of the Pig, falls on February 5 this year. ().
Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images
In Beijing, performers in traditional Qing dynasty robes strummed zithers for a re-enactment at sunrise of a sacrificial ceremony at the Chinese capital’s Temple of Earth park.
An actor portraying an emperor bowed before an altar as dozens of people in ceremonial dress behind him.
Artisans make colored lanterns featuring animated series Peppa Pig characters at a square to welcome the New Year.
Photo by Cao Xiaodong/VCG via Getty Images
Acrobats and drummers also performed. Vendors sold toys branded with the British cartoon character Peppa Pig, which is enjoying a surge of popularity for the Year of the Pig.
Story continues below advertisement
“My wishes for new year are a promotion, a raise and finding a boyfriend,” said a spectator, Cui Di, a 28-year-old employee of a foreign company.
The holiday in mainland China is marked by the biggest annual travel boom as hundreds of millions of people visit their home towns or travel abroad.The railway ministry forecast mainland travellers would make 413 million trips during the three-week period around the holiday.
Aerial view of vehicles queuing at a toll station during 2019 Chinese Spring Festival travel rush on January 30, 2019 in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province of China. The 40-day Chinese Spring Festival travel rush starts from January 21 and lasts until March 1.
Photo by Yang Bo/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images
Chinese set off billions of fireworks to celebrate the new year. An explosion at an illegal fireworks shop in southern China killed five people early Tuesday. Investigators said it was triggered by fireworks set off by the shopkeeper outside the shop.
Story continues below advertisement
People burn incense sticks as they pray for good luck at Grand Buddha Temple on February 4, 2019 in Chongqing, China.
(Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images)
In Bangkok, people lit incense sticks and burned paper money and other symbolic offerings for deceased relatives despite government appeals to avoid contributing to smog.
Some shopkeepers sold symbolic ballots to burn as offerings following official promises of an election this year, the first after four years of military rule.
— North Korea
In the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, visitors left bouquets of flowers at statues of former leaders Kim Il Sung and his son, Kim Jong Il.
An illuminated sculture of the God of Fortune can be seen at Marina Bay Sands on the first day of Lunar New Year of the pig on February 5, 2019 in Singapore.
Ore Huiying/Getty Images
Outside Asia
The celebration continues outside Asia as many around the world host parties and celebrate.
Story continues below advertisement
Russia:
A Buddhist ritual performed during celebrations marking the Lunar New Year and the start of the Year of the Pig, in the central square of the village of Aginskoye.
Yevgeny Yepanchintsev/TASS
USA:
This undated photo provided by Disneyland Resort shows a Mickey Mouse-shaped Chinese hot dog bun from the Prosperity Bao & Buns marketplace at Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim, Calif.
(Disneyland Resort via AP)
Canada:
Story continues below advertisement
Plush pigs on display at a shop for the upcoming Spring Festival (Chinese Lunar New Year of the Pig) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Creative Touch Imaging Ltd./NurPhoto via Getty Images
WATCH: Extreme cold doesn’t stop Calgary ice carver from celebrating Lunar New Year Spain
BARCELONA, SPAIN – 2019/02/02: A couple poses for a selfie picture during the celebration of the Chinese Lunar New Year in Barcelona. The Chinese Lunar New Year, the Year of the Pig, begins on February 5 2019 and ends on January 24 2019. (Photo by John Milner/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images).
Photo by John Milner/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Traditional Chinese desserts are seen during the gastronomic fair of the Chinese New Year 2019 in Barcelona.
Photo by Paco Freire/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images